Severe strokes can lead to death, while lesser strokes can cause
long-lasting disabilities.

Young people are not immune to strokes either, as hospital data
indicates a 25-percent rise in the number of people aged 20 to 64
suffering a stroke between 2000 and 2014.

Jon Barrick, the Stroke Association’s chief executive, said:
“There is an alarming increase in the numbers of people
having a stroke in working age.”

“These figures show that stroke can no longer be seen as a
disease of older people.

"As the figures show, it
can happen to anyone at any time.”

Experts partly attribute the rising number of strokes afflicting
people of working age to growing obesity levels.

Being obese increases the risk of having a stroke caused by blood
clot by 64 percent, according to research.

Blood pressure is the biggest risk, however. Some 40 percent of
strokes could be avoided if high blood pressure was kept under
control.

A spokeswoman for NHS England said: “Previous figures have
shown a decline in the overall number of incidents of
stroke.

"But we know certain factors such as diabetes and obesity
increase the risk of stroke for people of all age groups,"
she added.

Stroke victims and their families suffer a total financial cost
of £1.3 billion a year through loss of income caused by death or
disability.

According to a recent survey of employers, some 42 percent of
bosses would be reluctant to hire a stroke survivor over worries
they could not perform their role satisfactorily.

“Stroke survivors unable to return to work can struggle to
cope with a fall in income, increased household bills and a
benefits system which does not recognize the full impact of
stroke,” Barrick said.

“Having a stroke is bad enough, but being written off by your
employer through a lack of understanding can be
catastrophic,” he added.

The risk of having a stroke can be limited by regularly checking
blood pressure, eating healthily, cutting down on cholesterol
raising food, drinking responsibly and exercising on a regular
basis.